Chapter 66-

Oriel:
These last few weeks since we have been back in the castle have been busy, but also the most incredible of my life. The ballroom as been transformed so beautifully, filled with flowers and ready for our people to celebrate my rise in station. My family should be arriving tomorrow and then the coronation will be two days after. The most beautiful gown hangs in my room, and I feel like I have been floating on air. I have never been happier in my life I have so much to look forward to, I feel loved and cherished, nothing could bring me down. Not even the maid who I have decided to relocate to the kitchens instead of serving in my wing. I opted to deal with it on my own instead of involving my mates, I don’t want to take away her livelihood or her ability to provide for her son, but I refuse to continue to endure her obvious distain for me and my position in the castle. Hopefully she will find peace in her new position.
Ayla and I have been preparing everything in the guest wing for my family’s visit but as the ceremony nears, I sense her retreating back into her shell. “Is everything okay? You seem off.” “Everything is great, I’m so excited for you to finally become queen.” “Me too, time has flown by getting everything ready and set for all of the guests. Why don't you go rest for a bit, the rooms are finished, and the only thing left to do is get some last-minute things settled in the kitchen. I’m meeting Rowen in the library and then will take care of it.” “I can go down and make sure the menus are set and everything is ready. It is your big day after all so you should be the one resting up. I know you sent that maid who was treating you poorly down to the kitchen so I’m happy to take care of it for you.” “Ayla I’m fine and I wanted to check on how she is doing down there anyway, I refuse to hide in my own home because someone is too small minded to accept someone different. That’s another thing I’m looking forward to, after I’m crowned and the tie between our people is cemented the laws that prevent the mindless prejudice will be put into place and we can finally call ourselves one people all under the moon goddess instead of fighting and hating each other.” “You are going to be such an amazing queen; I have grown to care so much for my uncle and could not have chosen a better partner for him.” I kiss Ayla’s head and send her off, she has put in so much work lately she definitely deserves a rest. When things settle down, I should take her to the village for a day of shopping, I don’t know what I would have done without her help with everything.
Maddie:
If that dog thinks sending me down to the kitchens was a punishment, then she couldn’t be more wrong. It has only given me access to what I need to bring her down. Everything has been set and today is the day, Lord Hofer is in position and all I need now is to bring her to him. He will put an end to her, she is not fit to rule and if I do as he asks then he will make me queen in her place. With her gone and Rowen weakened he can take what he wants, while I show Rowen my love for him. When my king see’s my dedication and loyalty he will bond himself to me and regain his strength. He will realize that she could never make him happy, not like I can. He will abandon this ludicrous idea that all supernatural creatures are equal, the moon goddess herself made us more like her, while she gave the shifters an animal spirit. All these rules they are imposing about how we are to hunt and hide ourselves from the humans, I will help him realize our true potential for power. When we reign together our kind will rule and never hide ourselves again.
As if the goddess has shown her approval of my plan Oriel walks into the back pantry where I am putting away the surplus of supplies that have been ordered for the coronation. Before she spots me, I take the small packet that Lord Hofer gave me when I saw him yesterday, he is camped close by with a small army ready to take back his son and make sure that this bitch doesn’t become queen. I hear her discussing the details of tomorrows dinner and the arrival of her pack, I hope he kills her before her pack has a chance to interfere. I quickly mix the powder into the cup of hot tea that I had prepared to drink myself when I had finished putting things away. When the kitchen manager leaves, I step out from behind the counter and offer the cup to the woman who has taken everything from me. “I made you some tea as an apology for my rudeness and as a thank you for not firing me.” She looks me up and down before drinking my offering. “I am happy that you are finding your way down here and that there are no hard feelings. I know you have a son that you take care of and I’m hoping that we can get along going forward.” “Yes, I can’t thank you enough for this opportunity.”
Oriel:
The maids sinister smile grows blurry, and I have a sinking feeling in my stomach that something is terribly wrong. I go to call for help but my tongue is frozen, my body has become much too heavy to move and the room has started to spin. “Oh, queen dog you are much too soft to rule this coven. You should have known who was serving you. Don’t you recognize me? I was on my knees when we first met but it will be you who soon bows down. You could never love Rowen like I do, soon he will realize how much I love him and that we belong together.” I stumble back into the shelves and desperately try to keep my heavy eyes open. I need my men, it’s so hard to fully process what’s happening but I know the woman before me wants to hurt me. I need to stay awake, if I close my eyes I have no idea what she will do to me. I lose the battle with my body and am submerged into darkness. “Irvin….”
Darius:
Darren the Capitan of the royal guard bursts in through my door breathing heavily and a chill runs down my spine. “Lord Darius our scouts reported sighting a large camp located a few miles from the castle wall, they are flying the bleeding tree banner. The messenger that was sent to the camp asking their intention was returned with his chest full of arrows being drug behind his horse. We can only assume Lord Hoffer is declaring his intention for war.” The mention of my father makes my blood boil, he has been trying to absconder the crown for our family my entire life. He sent me here as a boy to get close to the king’s son so that he could use my position to grow his power. When Rowen and I became lovers, he sought to end me by replacing me with my younger brother as his heir and truthfully, I could care less about the title or being included in a noble house. I had Rowen and that was all that mattered, even when Emma came along still Rowen had a place for me. The only reason I wasn’t publicly disowned was due to Rowen’s father stepping in and stopping it. That’s when he and Marcus; Rowen’s older brother and next in line for the throne worked together to try and kill me. My father did it to get rid of me, the black mark on his family that refused to scheme with him and didn’t care for his politics. Marcus wanted to hurt Rowen because of his close relationship with their father. Rowen and the late king were close and after Marcus showed his dubious nature it seemed more and more that he would name Rowen as his successor. Now I have my father back at our door and I fear what he has planned.
“Get the soldiers ready for battle and close the castle gate. We need to send a small envoy to meet the black moon pack and let them know the danger that lies at our castle door.” “Yes, Lord Darius I’ll see to it right away.” I run from my office to the library, I saw him not long ago in there discussing the arrival of Oriel’s pack with her and Irvin. I sigh a brief breath of relief when I see Rowen sitting at a table with Irvin and a few staff members. “Your majesty we have something urgent to discuss privately.” The staff quickly leave the room but both Irvin and Rowen stand at attention when they see the dread on my face. “Where is Oriel? I thought she was in here with you two.” “She went to the kitchens to discuss food with the staff. What’s going on?” “I will tell you everything once I know Oriel is safe. My father has his army and who knows who else set up not far from the castle and they are not here to celebrate Oriel’s coronation.” We all run from the room and I’m sure just like me they are trying to reach Oriel through our bond, to feel that she is safe. “I felt a flash of fear and confusion not long ago through the bond, but it was so quick that I assumed she was stressed about preparations.” “I felt it too, but I know how quick tempered she can be that I brushed it off as the same.” Rowen and I see a flash of gray as we enter the kitchen and don’t see our mate. Irvin has shifted and puts his nose to he ground trying to find Oriel. I feel Rowen’s darkness when we don’t find Oriel and the kitchen staff hasn’t seen her for over half an hour. Irvin’s pained howl fills the castle with its sorrowful sound. With the staff and royal guard surrounding us Rowen shouts his command. “I want the castle and the grounds searched thoroughly, if one hair on my queen’s head is harmed, I will slit the throat of every member of the castle staff for not protecting what’s mine! Anyone who has seen anything suspicious will report to me right now!” The staff scatter and the castle descends into chaos. Irvin went out the back entrance and continues his sad song. I feel my mate is in grave danger and my heart screams that my father is behind all this. He can’t have her; I won’t let him take anything else from me. I drop to the floor my legs losing all strength, I feel hopeless and weak. Rowen’s strong hands grab me by the collar, lifting me up before throwing me against the wall. I gasp for breath when his strong presence fills my space. “You will not fucking give up. Oriel is the strongest person I have ever known, and I refuse to even think that we have lost her. Stand tall and don’t allow yourself to be defeated! Your piece of shit father will never take anything from you again, now let’s go find our mate.”
“… Your majesty…I have something to report…it may be nothing but the woman who was sent to the kitchen by the princess and who was seen with her not long ago is also missing. It may only be a coincidence, but I wanted to tell you because I know Maddie was not fond of her majesty…” “Tell me everything you know.”
Oriel:
I feel like I’m moving but I can’t see anything. Everything is still covered in darkness and no matter how hard I try I can’t open my eyes. I need to shift, to protect myself but I can’t move my body. I need my men. I hear the saddest cry ring out over and over, when I realize I know the song. He is calling for me, searching. I desperately want to call out back to him, to lead Irvin to me but I can’t the darkness is swallowing me again…